Adjustable folding table



March 14, 1939.. R. M. OWEN ADJUSTABLE FOLDING TABLE 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed May 8, 1957 ,INVENTOR BY A ORNE'Y March 14, 1939. R. M. OWEN ADJUSTABLE FOLDING TABLE 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed May 8, 1957 RAYMOND M. OWE/V INVENTOR' Patented Mar. 14, 1939 UNITED PATEN T OFFICE 2.150.397 ADJUSTABLE FOLDING "TABLE Raymond M. Owen, New York, N. Y. Application May 8, "1937, Serial No. 141,521 '3 Claims. (01. 211-93 7 The invention here disclosed relates to adjustare shown as having substantially rectangular able and foldingt ables. I extensions or projections II, beyond the po'intsof Special objects of the invention are to provide pivotal connection with the base, providingsupa table for holding heavy books for readingpurports at the opposite side of the column and poses, which can be easily adjusted'to-suit the forming when the legs are folded, as in Fig. 6, 5

comfort and convenienceof the reader and which extensions of the base for' holding the, collapsed as-required, may be quickly unfolded and set up structure upright on a floor or-other support. for use orfolded to'be put'away, which in the Friction washers are indicated at I'8, in Fig. 7, folded state will take up butsmall space, which for yieldably retaining thefeet elements in their will be'light but strong, neat in-appearance and upfolded position. This view shows also "how 10 generally suitable and desirable for various table these members may be 'made of sheet metal uses. flanged along the edges to stiffen and brace them. Theobjectsmentioned and others of a desir- Suitable steps or securing. means are provided able nature are attained inthe present invention for locking the feet in the outstanding divergent l5 bythe novel features of construction, combinasupporting relation, such as the stop lugs 19, tions and relations of parts hereinafter described ,on the base, overstanding the upper edges of the and broadly claimed. feet as in Fig. 1, or the spring latchpins ZIL'Fig. The drawings accompanying and forming part 5, on the feet positioned to enter lockseats' 2|, in of the specification illustrate practical embodithe adjacent sides of the base. The curved ar- 2 mentsof the invention, but-it is to be underrows in Fig. 1, indicate how when the column is 0 stood that various changes and modifications in lifted ofi the floor the outstanding feet may be 7 structure may be made all within the true intent rotated about pivot centers [6, over approxiand broad scope of the invention. mately of a turn to bring them up into gen- 'Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the erally parallel relation at opposite sides of the 5 table set-up ready for use andshowing in broken column as in Figs. lfiandfl. Similarly, the curved lines how the table top may be tilted at various arrow in Fig. 6, shows how when the stand'is angles when in use as a support for reading matlifted off the floor, the feet may be rotated ter, or in use as adrawing board, or the like. approximately.% .of a turn to carry them back Fig. 2 is an enlarged brokendetail of thehead into the projecting relation illustrated in Fig. :l. portion of the structure. This simple stopconstruction has its advantages, 30

Fig. 3 is a broken end view looking in the but requires, as-explained, a con'siderablemovedirection of arrow 3 in Fig. 2. ment of the feet. With the Fig. 8 form of con- Figs. land 5 are broken cross-sectional views struction, it is only necessary to withdraw the as on lines 4-4, 5-5 of Fig. 2. spring latches 20, from their seats 2!, whereupon Fig. 6 is a side elevation showing thetable in the feet I5 may be simplyrotated upwardly A 35 the collapsed or folded condition. of a turn to bring them into thefolded positions Fig. 7 is a broken enlarged horizontal sectional at the sides of the column. view as on substantially the plane of line 1-1 To hold the sliding post II, against turning in of Fig. 6. the column, thesame may be of square or other Fig. 8 is a generally similar view illustrating a angular cross-section tubing as indicated, oper- 40 modification. ating through a guide .22, of corresponding shape Figs. 9 and 10 are side and end views illustratat the top of the column. This guide is' shown as ing use of the table. carrying a clamp. screw 23 for-securing the post As shown in Fig. ,1, the device consists in genat different levels of adjustment. eral of a hollow upright standard or column II], The lateral supporting arm I2, isshown as of 45 a vertically extensible post II, slid-able in said substantially square cross-section andas having column, a laterally projecting .head or support a slidingand rotative ,mounting' in the corre- I2, on the post and a table top I3, carried by the spondingly shaped channeled headportion 24, on last mentioned and angularly adjustable about thetop of the post. This form of mounting is its supported axis. provided by slotting the arm at 25, to slide and 5 The column or pedestal I0, is shown as having rotate over a pin or bolt 26, extending across the a generally triangularbaseportion' I4, providing channel at one side of .the post and byslotting mounting for the feet I5, which are. shown as the endJof the arm at '21, tom: over a pin or bolt securedto two of the sides of such triangular ;j28,.crossing the channel at the opposite side'of formation by pivot bolts I6. These pivoted feet the post. The slot 25 is shown in Fig. 2,-as having 5 vpost.

The rotary or angular adjustment of the table 7 top is accomplished by providing the topv with a center tube 30, projecting at one end as in Fig. 2, to enter a cylindrical socket Si, in the end of the arm 12. This socket is split at the bottom at 3 la, to form a split clamp which can be closed to frictionally grip the center tube or rod 30, bya clamp nut 32.

The table top is shown as constructed of light sheet metal having backwardly flanged ends 33,

3d, the first or inner one secured by a sleeved portion 35, over. the tube 39, and the second or outer flange secured to the end of the tube at 36. The side edges, which in the use of the table as a book support, would be at the top and bottom as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 1, are shown as flanged forwardly at 31, to support books or reading matter, or the like.

Page holders are shown in the form of wires 38, overstanding the face of the table and having angled end portions 39, terminating in inwardly directed points 40, entered in seats 4!, in the end flanges 33, 34. When not in use, these book holdingwires may be hinged outwardly or toward the edges of the table top, so as to lie close to the edge flanges 31. When required, they may be turned up to overlie the book pages, paper, or the like, and if desired, they may be entirely removed by springing the inwardly turned ends 40, out of the flange openings 4|. By provision of a series of openings 4 l, at different points along the end flanges, these page holding elements may be shifted to suit requirements or a greater number than two of them be employed.

' To prevent accidental tipping of the top when employed as a horizontal table for supporting dishes or the like, a suitable catch or locking device may be employed, such as the spring pressed bolt indicated at 42, Figs. 1, 5 and 6, adapted to enter an appropriately placed seat 43, in the inner end flange 33. If desired, other notches or seats may be provided for enabling this bolt to lock the table top in various other relations.

When folded as in Figs. 6 and '7, the table occupies relatively small space. Catches or other devices may be provided for retaining the parts in folded relation. In the illustration, a spring latch is indicated on the table tube at M, Fig. 6, to, snap into engagement with a retainer 45, on the base. With the clamp screws 23 and 32 tightened, the parts will be retained in this closed or folded relation. Unfolded or set-up as in Fig. l, the table may be adjusted for height and for inclination of the top relative to the horizontal. The

table is light enough to be readily shifted into 7 different positions on a floor. In addition to being adjustable in various ways, the structure is readily separable. Upon loosening clamp screw 32, the table top may be withdrawn from the split supporting clamp 3i. The loosening of clamp screw 23, permits the post. I I, to be lifted out and separated from the supporting column I0. While this column is shown as a cylindrical tube carrying a square socket for the post, it is contemplated that said column may be in the form of square tubing of a size to receive the sliding post I l. Various other changes may be made, but the parts constructed as shown are particularly light and at the same time, strong enough to carry the loads to which a table of this character would be subjected. The pivoting of the feet to the two sides of the generally triangular base locates the feet so that they will have the desired divergent outstanding relation in the downward supporting position and so that in the upper folded relation, the angular extensions at the ends locating the pins 26 and 28 in the channeled portion of the supporting head at opposite sides of the post, a wide mounting for the table carrying arm is provided and this arm is enabled to swing down freely at the side of the supporting column.

When the table is used for supporting a relatively heavy object, such as a typewriter for instance, the outer end of the table may be independently supported as by an auxiliary leg or standard collapsible in the tubular supporting member 30. This feature is'particularly shown in Figs. 1, 2, 9 and 10, where legs 5|) are illustrated in'the form of stiff struts slidable into the tube 30, and loosely pivoted at 5!, to the outer end of-a plug 52, also slidable intube 30. When these auxiliary legs or struts are drawn out from the concealed position, Figs. 1 and 2, and dropped down at the end of the table as in Figs. 9 and 10, they may be braced in the spread apart supporting relation as by a hinged connecting bar 53, Fig; 10.

What is claimed is: 1'. An adjustable folding table, comprising a column having a generally triangular base, di-

vergent feet pivotally mounted on two of the sides of said generally triangularbase, foldable about the pivotal centers upward alongside the column and provided with angular end extensions beyond the pivotal centers projecting beyond'the base when the feet are extended in divergent relation and arranged to form substantial continuation of the bottom of the base when the feet are vpivoted upward'into substantially parallel relation at the sides of the column and a table top vertically adjustable on the column and hinged to fold downward over the third side of the generally triangular base and to be lowered into line with the bottom of the base.

2. A table of the characterdisclosed, comprising a supporting column having a generally triangular base, divergent supporting feet pivoted at two of the sides of said generally triangular base in position to be rotated about the pivotal centers downwardly and thenupwardly into substantially vertical position alongside the column and a stop member extending across the third sideof the base and engageable over the divergent feet to prevent upward collapsing movement of said feet, said'feet having relatively divergent portions projecting beyond the pivotal connections with the base angularly in respect to said feet and engageable with a supporting surface to oppose folding movement of the column away from'said feet and to brace the column against tipping along the substantially triangular base, an upstanding tubular column on said base, supporting feet pivoted lar base, stop shoulders at the third side of the substantially triangular base overstanding said feet in the projecting relation of the latter and said feet adapted to be rotated on the pivotal supports for the same from beneath said overstanding shoulders downwardly and then upwardly into position at opposite sides of the upstanding column, a vertically adjustable post held non-row tatably in said column and a table top pivoted substantially horizontally to said post and at the side of said post over said third side of the substantially triangular base and whereby said table top may be swung downward on said substantially horizontal pivot over said third side of the substantially triangular base, adjoining said upwardly rotated feet at the sides of the column and be lowered to bring the downwardly swung table top down to the level of the base.

RAYMOND M. OWEN. 

